THE TOP 50 FREEWARE PLUG-INS
In what looks set to become an annual event here at MusicTech, we have decided to round up the best freeware out there, in all of the main musicmaking categories.
In case you are unfamiliar with the freeware scene, it is a thriving community of small developers – single programmers showing off a huge range of skills and software – or larger players keen to show off their paid-for software by way of free versions.
Anyone can get involved in freeware production, hence the wide range and massive number of developers currently producing everything from simple effects to full-on sequencers. Thanks to software such as SynthEdit, freeware can be built without a huge in-depth knowledge of the ones and zeros of complex code programming – although that does help.
We’ve looked at instruments, both real and synthetic; effects (creative, mixing and mastering); plus guitar and DAW options.
We’ve also tried to include Mac and PC versions wherever possible, although the nature of the development means that there are more Windows options out there. For free apps, check out our mobile round-up online at www.musictech.net. So, keep your money to yourself, and make music for nowt…
FREEWARE Synths
Most freeware synths, it has to be said, follow the virtual analogue model, but we’ve tried to select as many different Mac and PC ones as possible…
ANGULAR MOMENTUM FREEHAND Wavetable synth
One of the few great freeware synths that isn’t another virtual analogue, so it’s well worth including just on that score. Freehand allows you to draw your own waveforms, and adds FM synthesis and sequencers to give the synth a unique character. It is an advert for a bigger, more fully-featured version, but that costs only $10, and does give you a stack more presets (300 in total, while the free version has 100) and 32 notes of polyphony. If you want something a little different from your average VA, then look no further…
Platform: PC
GREEN OAK CRYSTAL Semi modular synth
Crystal is still surprisingly all present and correct, and still going strong in the all-new Logic 10.2, after what seems like forever on both Mac and PC platforms. It’s a semi-modular synth with both subtractive and FM synthesis. You build, or indeed breed, sounds using parent waveshapes from categories such as Vintage, Atmospheres and Temp Sync’d, and the results stand up pretty well. OK, the GUI isn’t that pretty, but she ain’t bad for an old ’un, and there’s certainly enough control and options to wrestle some decent sounds out of it, with abundant modulation control and more than 90 parameters. Also available for iOS for $4.99.
Platform: Mac, PC
HG FORTUNE ALIEN SPACE WEAVER Space synth
To be honest, there are so many synths on this developer’s site that took our fancy – we seem to have the same penchant for sci-fi– that we could have been here all day recommending them. But one that seems to sum up HG more than anything else is this, Alien Space Weaver, as it combines synths with sc-fi. Not surprisingly, it excels at deep and dark atmospheres, soundscapes and effects. It has two PCM wave oscillators, one of which has 75 samples created especially for it. Other features include a couple of filters, bass enhancers, effects (including pan and delay) and five lazy buttons – which we like particularly
